Bellaire City Council is eying three options and considering costs as it decides whether and where to build new city hall, police, court and civic center facilities, while an Aug. 19 deadline looms to call a November bond election.

Depending on the economy, how the city decides to finance the effort and what else it includes in a bond proposal, the result might be a tax-rate increase that could range from a half cent to more than 3 cents, City Manager Bernie Satterwhite said. The city's tax rate is is 39.99 cents per $100 valuation.

Architect Jeff Gerber, CEO of Pierce, Goodwin, Linville and Alexander has told City Council that public input shows an even split between residents interested in a Town Center location and those wanting the project in a downtown Bellaire.

He added, "In terms of the public input we received during the three public hearings, the takeaway for me was that more of the people that participated were in support of new facilities than those that were opposed."

One option involves building the facilities at Town Center, which includes City Hall's current site on South Rice Boulevard and the police department and municipal court building on Jessamine Street. This $13 million plan includes demolishing the current buildings and combining city hall, police facilities, court and civic center in one structure.

Another plan calls for a stand-alone facility in downtown Bellaire. Total cost is estimated at $15 million for construction plus another $2.6 million to $7.8 million to acquire three acres.

In the third option, the city would seek a commercial development partner that would facilitate construction of commercial, retail and residential buildings around or adjacent to the new city facilities.

All three options assume conservative growth in the city's tax base over the next four years and flat growth after that, Satterwhite said.

The council instructed City Attorney Alan Petrov to draft possible language for a Nov. 5 bond referendum that would break out aspects of the proposal into four ballot questions.

He was asked to draft one question regarding authorization of $11 million in bonds for new city facilities.

A second question would ask that if voters approve of the first proposal, would they favor authorizing an additional $5 million for land acquisition.

The third would relate to issuance of $5 million in bonds for the proposed Evelyn's Park or other projects and the fourth question asks voters if they wish to approve issuing $500,000 in bonds to support capital improvements at the Nature Discovery Center.

City Council is posed to vote on the matter at its 7 p.m. meeting on Aug. 19 at City Hall, 7008 South Rice Ave. The meeting follows at 6 p.m. public hearing on the city's proposed budget.